Ballad of John Drumm (to the air of the Croppy Boy)

Ballad of John Drumm (to the air of the Croppy Boy)Good men and true in the NCA,Your Castleisland Star we mourn today,John Drumm is gone – in te grave he is lying,The Ras Tailteann Hero from Tobermaing.The Banshee cried around Glounsharoon,When he passed away on that afternoon,He died at home on September 4,The best all rounder at Donoughmore.

Pat Neary and Drumm have passed away,Two faithful sons of the NCA,For his brother James I have made this song,And young Thady Walsh will bring it along.Twas in Kilkenny he showed them how,An Irish farmer should drive a plough,To plough the sod all the tractors came,But the champion ploughman was Johnny Drumm.In the great Ras Tailteann he made his name,With Dan Ahern of All Ireland fame,He won for Kerry in the Green and Gold,I saw him cycling with Eamonn Breen.The Ring of Kerry he did not fear,As he forged ahead in his climbing gear,He fought Shay O’ Hanlon day by day,And often crashed in fierce affray.

He burst a tyre in a race at Sneem,But he beat the rest of the Kerry team,God be with the days when Jack Drumm was flying,The champion Bikeman from Tobermaing.Remember Drumm of the Desmond Club,No more he rides with his gears and hub,For a racing cyclist we kneel and pray,God bless John Drumm and the NCA.